


Salt

by indefensibleselfindulgence



Series: tactile empathy [3]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Character Study, Cooking, Drabble, Fluff, Gen, M/M, Sharing a Bed, Sickfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-17
Updated: 2019-01-17
Packaged: 2019-10-11 07:59:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17443001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/indefensibleselfindulgence/pseuds/indefensibleselfindulgence
Summary: Caduceus likes cooking.It's relaxing.





	Salt

**Author's Note:**

> i could write clayleb fluff until i die and never get bored of it honestly 
> 
> not beta'd

Caduceus likes cooking.  
  
It's relaxing.  
  
He does it because he likes to feed people. And because it's relaxing. It can be both. It can be many things. He does it because he likes experimenting and because he likes creating and because he likes eating. But mostly because he likes to feed people. And it's relaxing.  
  
The salt still clings to the edges of his fur, probably will until they get to Nikadranos and he can bathe with water that isn't slowly poisonous. The others are covered in it too, and he can smell it, and maybe that's why he decides to make something hearty and sweat today.  
  
To counteract the salt.  
  
His hands still shake with the tiniest of tremors from the force of the spell that tossed a ship around like it was a child's toy. He's not done things like that before. He can't bring himself to hate it as much as he thinks he maybe should.  
  
There's some similarity, he thinks, between his water and Caleb's fire. They still haven't gotten all of the scorch marks off, even with the repairs. Still a tiny bit of soot that Caduceus is pretty sure they'll never get out.  
  
The crew trail in first, and he asks Marius to help him with the plates, and Marius does, smiling, actually happy.  
  
That's another reason he likes cooking.  
  
He's not the only one who's happy for it.  
  
It's nothing fancy, the thing he cooks for dinner today. Curry, rice, steamed vegetables, toasted bread to mop it up. But it's what he wants to eat today. He thinks it might be what the others want to eat today too.  
  
When the crew is more or less fed, and their dishes are half way cleaned, the Nien trails in, Beau and Jester and Fjord, Yasha and Nott. No Caleb. That's not unusual. He gets distracted sometimes, with the reading. Or the spells. Or whatever it is that he does.  
  
Caduceus doesn't eat yet, even when his stomach rumbles and Beau laughs, nudging into Jester's side.  
  
“Mr. Clay? If you're waiting for Caleb, he's in our quarters. Feeling sick. From being in the ocean. And really who can blame him.” The last half is spoken louder when Nott locks eyes with Fjord and Caduceus smiles.  
  
“I'll take a plate to him then. Clean up after yourselves.”  
  
He leaves before they can protest in earnest.  
  
Caleb in his cot, blanket up over his shoulders, book open in his lap, reading so quickly Caduceus swears he hears the page flip twice before he sets the plates down. The noise makes Caleb jump, and when the book slams shut, Caduceus jumps in turn.  
  
They stare at each other for a moment because Caduceus laughs a little bit and Caleb laughs with him.  
  
“Dinner.” He says, pointing to the plate. “If you're feeling sick you should eat.”  
  
“Did Nott tell you that I was?”  
  
“She didn't sound very worried when she did, I can't imagine you feel that bad. But- if you do I can-” Caduceus lifts his hands and wiggles his fingers and watches Caleb smile.  
   
Making him smile has become its own reward.  
  
He does it because it feels nice to do.  
  
More than anything else.  
  
“I'm alright. Feverish but I'll get over it.” Caduceus reaches across the distance to touch his forehead, and Caleb lets him. His cheeks are pretty red, and he feels warm to the touch. Maybe a little clammy.  
  
“You'll feel better once you eat.” He pushes magic through his fingertips and Caleb shivers, exhaling hard enough that Caduceus feels it against his fur.  
  
“Ja okay.” Caleb mumbles, eyes to the floor.  
  
They eat together in relative silence, watching each other, trying to learn something- Caduceus stares to watch the flush disappear on Caleb's face and Caleb probably- Caduceus doesn't know what Caleb is staring at.  
  
Which is fine also.  
  
“Did you like it?” He asks, even though Caleb cleaned the plate and Caduceus likes to think that they do it because they like the food and not because they're starving.  
  
“Of course. You're a very good cook.”  
  
“Thank you.” The compliment warms him up, makes his chest feel fluttery. “I appreciate you appreciating it. Did it help?”  
  
“The spell helped more but- yes. Thank you for eating with me.”  
  
“Thank you for having me.”  
  
He comes back later that night, when they're ready to bed down, a large pile of blankets tossed on the floor like a nest. They don't talk- don't really need too, too used to this at this point. A month out at sea- who would have thought. He's grateful for the experience The Wild Mother gave him, and for his new friends.  
  
Caleb still feels warm against his front. Caduceus wraps an arm around his stomach and pushes more magic through until Caleb shudders and nods a little. Nott stares at him from over Caleb's shoulder, and Caduceus tries his hardest to give her a discreet thumbs up. She shoots one back, but he feels Caleb laugh and try to hide it against his chest.  
  
“Feel better soon, Caleb,” Nott mumbles and reaches up to kiss his shoulder.  
  
“I'll try my best to save Mr. Clay's spell slots.”  
  
“I'm not doing anything else with them.”  
  
Using his magic to make others feel better is relaxing too.  
  
Cathartic, maybe.

**Author's Note:**

> comments are always encouraged and very very very appreciated
> 
> talk[ to me here](http://iamalivenow.tumblr.com/)


End file.
